


Sand and Spells

by WeHaveManyNames



Category: Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland
Genre: Animus Magic (Wings of Fire), Burn is somewhat less evil, Original Character(s), Scarlet is Evil, it’ll make sense later, mainly because Atacama basically cursed himself
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 11:35:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30021180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeHaveManyNames/pseuds/WeHaveManyNames
Summary: Atacama is a SandWing dragonet. Nothing out of the ordinary there. He has two very wonderful parents and two eggs waiting to hatch into his little siblings. Nothing weird there either. The five of them could live quite happily in their own little corner of the desert for the rest of their lives.One small problem: Atacama’s an animus. And in the War of SandWing Succession, and with the enchanted choker he’s permanently attached to his neck, that’s not good.He’s got a choice to make now. Blaze, Blister, Burn, he has to offer his services to whichever of them is least likely to abuse his magic and hope that, if they win, his family will be left in peace.Or he could run into the Dragonets of Destiny at a big old party he’s stuck at and get whisked across the continent to help fulfil the prophecy.Oh geez, this’ll be a wild ride.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Sand and Spells

The first thing he remembered was a tapping noise.

He tried to look towards it, but he couldn’t. It was outside his tiny World.

Words hissed, none that he could understand. “Hyrax, stop it! Let him take his time!”

”Lantana, he should have been out yesterday. Can you blame me for being a bit worried?”

”...okay, fair point.”

What were those voices? They sounded warm and lovely. He wanted to meet them!

He moved towards them and hit the wall. Right. They were outside the World.

Well, he’d just have to leave the World then, wouldn’t he?

”Wait, is it mov-“

He gave the edges of the World a mighty push. The World rocked, but it didn’t break.

Why didn’t it break? He wanted out! He needed to meet those voices! He shoved the walls of the World again, but it didn’t budge.

He wanted the World to break!

A harsh noise, and the walls of the World split in half- he could see light! He could get out! 

And with another, powerful shove, the World shattered.

Bright! So bright! He wanted to go back in the World! It was so bright outside- oh? Where did the brightness go?

He looked up. And up, and up.

A big Thing looked down at him with its funny yellow face, before it moved. “Lantana! Lantana, get over here, he’s out!”

Another Thing raced over, her own yellow face staring at him. “Oh my- look at him!”

He tilted his head confusedly, before the second Thing suddenly picked him up and held him to itself.

It was warm, so warm and wonderful and he loved every second of it.

The Thing looked down at him. “Hey, little buddy. I’m your mother, and that’s your father. We’re your parents. Can you understand that?”

Mother? That was the Thing?

He snuggled back into Mother’s chest, pain seeming to burst through his own as he took in the utter warmth and safety.

The first Thing- Father?- stepped over and touched him and even more pain burst through his chest, but it was a wonderful pain, something seeming to grow larger in every second of their presence and he knew without question that he would never be hurt near them, never. He perked his head up and nuzzled into Father as best he could.

A tickle ran through his talons, but he didn’t care. He was busy being happy.

Mother’s quiet voice seemed to wind around him. “Hello, Atacama.”

…

Atacama snarled as he shot through the air. “Stupid bird!”

It had been five years since he’d hatched, and his life had been nothing short of wonderful. Sure, there was the occasional patrol of SandWings trying to get his parents to join Burn’s army or Blaze’s army, but... well, his parents did have two eggs to look after (his baby brothers! Or baby sisters! Or one of each!). Rather odd that the soldiers seemed to step on so many cacti on their way back from their little hut.

Anyways, it was Mother’s hatching day, and Father was busy (distracting her) accompanying her to the Scorpion Den for a day of shopping while he hunted down an ostrich. Mother really, _really_ liked ostrich.

If the stupid bird would only stay still so he could slit its stupid throat! Or stab it with his tail barb because he was _not_ picky at this point!

”Get back here!”

The stupid little land bird had the sheer gall to make noises at him. It was _taunting_ him.

_He wanted it dead._

He frustratedly hurled one of his daggers at it, missing by a long shot and letting out another furious roar. “RRRGHH! Stupid knife, why can’t you just fly and _hit the stupid bird in the throat?!”_

It was almost beautiful to watch as the dagger, much to his surprise, sprang out of the sand, soared through the air faster than the swiftest SkyWing, and took the ostrich in the throat.

The stupid bird bled out and died. He stared at it.

Because he’d just made a knife fly through the air and kill a bird just by telling it to.

Holy crap.

_Holy crap.  
_

_He, Atacama, was a flipping animus dragon._

Unless Father had just picked up a random enchanted knife from the market that did whatever the owner told it to? 

He had to test this.

He landed and hesitantly approached his downed prey, scooping his weapon back up and sliding it into the pouch tied around his neck. “Okay, okay, let’s-let’s just try this, okay?”

He cleared his throat. “Ostrich corpse, please float in the air and follow me back home, matching my flight speed.”

And the ostrich began to float, levitating level with his shoulders.

...well this was going to be an extremely awkward conversation.

He shook his wings out, repressing the urge to enchant his dagger to teleport him back home (just to see if it would work, because it was _really_ tempting to do so) and took flight, heading straight home. At least he’d be somewhat safe there.

…

His parents came home, and the conversation was indeed awkward, mainly because of how Atacama started it- staring pointedly at the still-floating ostrich and saying, “So apparently I have magic.”


End file.
